Earthquake 10-05
NOTE:'Since this tragedy spans several countries, please feel free to add information, etc. related to his issue about India and Afghanistan (and beyond? China?).'' http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4323008.stm News & Information * WikiNews page provides specifics about the epicenter, exact time, etc. * [http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-10-08-pakistan-quake_x.htm?POE=click-refer AP report via USA Today] Relief, Donations, and Information '''International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies Canadians can make donations to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies for South Asia Earthquake relief by going to its website and following the directions: http://www.redcross.ca/print.asp?id=000043 It is also possible to make online donations to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies for the South Asia Earthquake. These donations can be used by the Red Cross to obtain material for relief locally so that it can promptly provide help to those in need. Canadian donors can also receive tax receipts for their online donations. Please complete the online donation form at: https://www.paypaq.com/redcross/en/ Red Cross tracing services The Red Cross also offers services to help people trace their relatives in disaster zones. If a loved one is in the affected area, family members from outside the area can call their local Red Cross office and request assistance in determining the well-being of their family member. Information regarding the availability of Red Cross services in the areas affected by the South Asia Earthquake in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Kashmir can be accessed through contacts listed in the Information Bulletin of October 8, 2005: http://www.ifrc.org/cgi/pdf_appeals.pl?rpts05/SAeq08100501.pdf Technical Information * US Geological Survey page on this quake: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/recenteqsww/Maps/10/75_35.html * The Pakistan Metereological Department has a single-page PowerPoint presentation on their website that basically just says: :EARTHQUAKE MAGNITUDE= 7.5 :AT LAT=34.4N LON=73.5E DEPTH= 10.0 KM Personal Accounts * Monis Rahman, CEO Naseeb Networks :His blog entry can be reached directly at: http://www.naseeb.com/domains/article-detail.php?uname=monis&aid=107371 * Person 2 * Person 3 NGOs Edhi Foundation :Please send your donations to the Edhi Foundation. I have included the bank account details for the Muslim Commercial Bank in Karachi and the contact details for the various Edhi Foundation offices in New York, London, Canada, Japan, Australia and Bangladesh. Please call them for international banking details for donation purposes. Edhi would be the best bet for donations at this point, his past record in relief work is a testimony to that. Please find a brief on Abdul Sattar Edhi and his charitable work for your perusal on the page about the foundation. Please help spread the good word. Ayesha Hasan Karachi Pakistan Diaspora * PakPAC (USA)'s Response Page: http://www.pakpac.net/eq.asp Governments' Response As far as the news are coming in the "Government's Response" is very poor; in fact apathetic. Capital Development Authority (CDA) which has the prime responsibility of ensuring the safe delivery of services and cooping with disasters did not mobilize its disaster management operation in time. The Towers in Islamabad which housed Pakistanis and foreigners both were destroyed in the morning however the earth moving equipment did not move in until evening. According to one phone call the earth moving equipment moved into the neighborhood of collapsed towers in the evening after people made several phone calls to CDA. If mobilizing of rescue operation is at its worst in the capital city of Pakistan then we can imagine the pathetic nature of search, rescue, and relief operation in the Northern Part of Pakistan where the earthquake has caused the major damage. I have just heard from my brother in law that one of his friends made a cell phone call from the collapsed building rubble that he and his family is alive and waiting for rescue. They have been trapped for more than 12 hrs. and the rescue teams have not reached them yet. (http://www.emullah.com) Useful Links * Geological Survey of Pakistan: http://www.gsp.gov.pk/ * Pakistani Metereological Institute: http://www.pakmet.com.pk/